The most common flooring-type coverings consist of a polymerized plastic, mostly of polyvinyl chloride. Because they are very common, the problem of reprocessing or recycling these synthetics is very important. In the past, old used PVC floor coverings were either thrown out or crushed, pulverized and used as additives in producing new materials. The use of such crushed materials is limited, however, since there are losses of quality. Thus, large residual quantities of old PVC coverings must be disposed of.
Another method of recycling reusable PVC is described in DE AS 24 34 925. This concerns a relatively expensive chemical processing of old PVC material.
DE AS 1 179 906 describes a process in which PVC waste material is first pulverized and then pressed onto a fiber backing. The materials have to have a certain composition to result in a usable floor covering.